About Us

1. History
2. Coverages
3. Client Service Standards
4. Roles
5. Biographies

History

Key Events in the History of Federal Lobbyists Registration

1989

The Lobbyists Registration Act was first enacted in 1989. It set basic requirements including that lobbyists were to provide information on themselves and on the subjects on which they were lobbying.

1993

In June, a House of Commons committee issued a report entitled "A Blueprint for Transparency: Review of the Lobbyists Registration Act". It called for amendments to the Act that would require more information about the activities of lobbyists.

1995 – 1997

The government introduced Bill C-43. It proposed amendments to the Act that required greater information from lobbyists. Parliament passed those amendments, which came into force in 1996. At that time, the Ethics Counsellor was given responsibility for making decisions under the Act.

The amended legislation also mandated the development of a Lobbyists Code of Conduct. After extensive consultations, including review by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, the Code entered into force on March 1, 1997.

2002 – 2003

The government introduced Bill C-15 to amend the Lobbyists Registration Act, which Parliament passed in June 2003.

2004

In January 2004, the Government introduced Bill C-4, which both houses of Parliament passed in March 2004. The new legislation changed the reporting structure under the Lobbyists Registration Act, so that the Registrar could report to Parliament directly through the Registrar General of Canada (the Minister of Industry), rather than through the Ethics Counsellor. The Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists became an administrative unit within Industry Canada.

2005

On June 1, 2005, the Regulations Amending the Lobbyists Registration Act (the Regulations) were subject to final publication in Part II of the Canada Gazette. Both the Regulations and An Act to Amend the Lobbyists Registration Act, came into force simultaneously on June 20, 2005. The major changes made to the Act were as follows:

• A clearer definition of "lobbying" than was formerly the case.
• Clarification that a person making simple enquiries or requests for information did not have to register as a lobbyist.
• There was no longer an exemption from registration if a public office holder initiates contact with a lobbyist.
• All categories of lobbyists were required to update or renew their filings every six months.
• Former public office holders engaged in lobbying are now obligated to provide information on previous positions held with the federal government.
• The filing approach is now the same for both categories of in-house lobbyists (those who work for corporations and those who work for non-profit organizations). The most senior officer is accountable for registering all employees who lobby.
• While conducting an investigation, the Registrar will be required to notify police forces if there are reasonable grounds to believe that a criminal offence has been committed under the Act.

With the coming into force of the Act on June 20, 2005, the Lobbyists Registration System (LRS) was upgraded to reflect the changes stated above. Its Web-based user interface was also improved to make the system more user-friendly

2006

A further move towards greater independence of the ORL was made in February 2006, when the Office was moved to the portfolio of the President of the Treasury Board as an independent entity, while the government works to further revise and strengthen the Lobbyists Registration Act.

Coverage

Who Does the Lobbyists Registration Act Cover?

The Lobbyists Registration Act is based on four key principles.

• Free and open access to government is an important matter of public interest.
• Lobbying public office holders is a legitimate activity.
• It is desirable that public office holders and the general public be able to know who is attempting to influence government.
• The system of registration of paid lobbyists should not impede free and open access to government.

The Act only covers people who are paid to lobby. People who are lobbying on a voluntary basis are not required to register.

The Lobbyists Registration Act identifies three types of lobbyist:

• Consultant lobbyists, people who are paid to lobby for clients.
• In-house lobbyists (corporations). Those are employees of a business who lobby for their employer as a significant part of their duties (20% or more).
• In-house lobbyists (organizations). Those are employees of not-for-profit organizations in which one or more employees lobby. They work in setting where the collective time devoted to lobbying for all those employees works out to be the same as a significant part of one employee's duties (20% or more).

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Client Service Standards

Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists

With respect to client service, our Office is committed to meeting a high standard of excellence. Our client base is comprised of Canada's lobbyists, the general public and other interested parties. Our client service consists primarily of providing advice and comprehensive information related to the lobbyist registration process and its requirements. This service also includes providing advice on the application of the Lobbyists Registration Act and the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct, explaining their requirements, providing interpretation bulletins, and addressing other related issues of concern to our clients. Our Office's staff is accessible between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time), from Monday to Friday, except on designated holidays.

Bilingualism, responsiveness and confidentiality

We are proud to offer courteous service in either of Canada's official languages. If information provided on our website or in print is unclear to you, we encourage you to contact us for clarification. If you are not satisfied with any aspect of the Office's services, please communicate your concerns to us, so that we can continue to improve our service. Any information you disclose that is considered confidential will be treated accordingly. Although we respect your right to privacy, certain information you disclose to us could, under prescribed conditions, be subject to the Access to Information Act, or to an investigation under the Lobbyists Registration Act.

Reliable access to our website, free on-line registration and email

The Lobbyists Registration Website, located at www.orl-bdl.gc.ca, is easily accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Website provides a reliable, clear and consistent user interface for the purpose of promoting on-line lobbyists registrations and providing lobbyists information, as well as related reports and recent announcements. On-line registrations are free of charge and currently account for over ninety nine percent of all registrations. Clients who prefer to register in writing are charged $150.00 per year. If our Website application fails to meet your needs, please contact us for help at the following email address: QuestionsLobbying@orl-bdl.gc.ca.

Timeliness, registration and alternative accessibility

We acknowledge telephone calls, emails, faxes or letters and respond to general enquiries within two business days of receipt. When a more complex issue or question is raised, we will promptly provide you with an estimate of when to expect a response. After filing a registration, please allow up to three business days for validation and acceptance of the registration on our system. A letter will be issued from our Office within one business day of your registration's acceptance. You may contact the Office by telephone at (613) 957-2760, or by fax at (613) 957-3078. Should you wish to, you may also visit our offices, or contact us by mail at the following address:

Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists
255 Albert Street, 10^th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R5

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Roles

Who Does What in the Lobbyists Registration System?

Under Part III of the Department of Industry Act, the Minister of Industry also serves as Registrar General. The Registrar General is responsible to Parliament for lobbyists registration issues, among other functions. In the lobbyists registration system, the Registrar General has no decision-making power on individual cases, he or she is simply the person through whom the Registrar reports to Parliament. As part of this, the Registrar General designates the person who serves as Registrar of Lobbyists.

The Registrar of Lobbyists is responsible for establishing and maintaining the registry under the Lobbyists Registration Act, which includes the information on all registered lobbyists and their activities that are required under the Act. The Registrar issues advisory opinions and interpretation bulletins regarding the Act. The Registrar has assumed the former roles of the Ethics Counsellor under the Act, including responsibility for the development of the Lobbyists Code of Conduct and for overseeing compliance with the Code of Conduct. As part of this, the Registrar has the authority to investigate alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct and is required under the Act to prepare a report which will be tabled by the Registrar General before Parliament.

The Director of Investigations and Deputy Registrar’s role is to enforce the Act through administrative reviews, investigations, and policy analysis related to the application of the Act. The Directorate is responsible for overseeing investigations of complaints made under the Lobbyists Code of Conduct and the Lobbyists Registration Act and for providing the Registrar with the information necessary to make a decision.

The Director of Operations oversees the enforcement requirements of the Lobbyists Registration Act (the Act) related to the disclosures registrants and lobbyists must provide in order to be listed in the public Registry of Lobbyists. The Director is also responsible, in his capacity as Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator, for the application of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act within the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists. The functions of the Operations Directorate also comprise internal and external communications, media relations, parliamentary relations, financial management, corporate planning, information management, web interface as well as the development and maintainance of computer applications.

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Biographies

• Michael Nelson, Registrar of Lobbyists
• Karen Shepherd, Director of Investigations and Deputy Registrar
• Pierre Ricard-Desjardins, Director of Operations